Agia Marina

On the east coast of Leros, the town of Agia Marina sits on a wide natural inlet and forms, together with the neighboring settlements of Platanos and Panteli, the administrative heart of the island. Platanos occupies the hillside as the official capital, while Agia Marina and Panteli spread down toward the water on either side of Apitiki hill, so the three run together almost seamlessly along narrow, whitewashed streets. The town takes its name from the small church of Agia Marina near the harbor, whose feast day in mid-July remains one of the busiest dates on the local calendar.

Agia Marina's harbor is the main gateway to Leros, receiving ferries and catamarans from Kos, Patmos, and Lipsi as well as smaller boats that shelter along the quay. A line of waterfront tavernas, cafes, and shops fills out the port, and the town grows noticeably livelier through the summer months, when the surrounding hills — watched over by the medieval castle above nearby Panteli — take on a golden color at sunset. A post office, pharmacy, and a handful of small supermarkets make it a practical base for exploring the rest of the island.

For many visitors, the town is best reached during a gulet cruise along the Greece coast, since arriving by water shows off the harbor and the hillside town together in a way no road ever could.